US Treasury Restricts Media Access to G20 Finance Meeting in North Carolina

POLICY WIRE — Washington, USA — The US Treasury Department has taken the controversial step of denying credentials to specific journalists for the upcoming Group of 20 (G20) finance ministers’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina. This move is seen as another instance of the Trump administration limiting media access.

According to reports, individual reporters from prominent news outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg News have been refused entry. The Treasury Department has yet to provide a clear explanation for this decision.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has stated that the decision is not influenced by any particular viewpoint. However, notable journalists like Alan Rappeport from The New York Times, who has extensive experience covering such events, were denied access, while others from the same publication were allowed to attend.

The New York Times has expressed strong disapproval, calling the action a blatant attempt to avoid public scrutiny and an assault on press freedoms. They emphasized the importance of the meeting’s agenda, which includes critical global economic issues such as the war in Iran, sanctions, bond markets, and inflation.

Bloomberg News also condemned the move, highlighting the rejection of numerous accreditation requests from their journalists, including those based in Europe and Asia. They argued that such actions undermine media freedom and public accountability.

The Wall Street Journal chose not to comment on the situation. The G20 meeting, hosted by Bessent, is scheduled to take place from Saturday through Tuesday and will bring together finance ministers, central bank governors, and senior officials from the world’s leading economies.

This incident is part of a broader trend of escalating tensions between the US media and the Trump administration, which has been evident in various public and legal confrontations.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)